The council says it will support the thousands of future workers who are expected to find employment as the city grows over the coming years.

Cabinet member for community services Martin Veal (Cons, Bathavon North) made a passionate speech against building a park and ride on Bathampton Meadows but he was outvoted 7-1 by his fellow Tory colleagues at the meeting on Wednesday night (January 25).

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There were more than 30 speakers who aired their opposition to any car park on the meadows, with some backing the council's plans, as well as a strong crowd of protesters outside Bath's Guildhall before and during the meeting.

The cabinet were deciding whether or not to go ahead with plans for an 800 space car park on land east of Mill Lane (site F) or site 800 - 1,200 spaces on site B.

Although site B has now been chosen going forward, cabinet papers reveal the land will need to be purchased and access to the site approved by Highways England.

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Current New Leaf Farm owner Steve Horler, whose fields cover site B, has said he has no intention of selling up.

He said: "A park and ride is completely incompatible with our holiday visitors. People don't want to go on holiday to a park and ride."

"The council talks about planning for the future yet this plan is backward-looking. It's way back in the 1980s that park and rides were a fashionable solution to traffic problems," he said.

Resident Emma Adams told councillors that "Bath deserves better" after asking for a clear plan to be presented to the public.

"You have made up your minds, you apparently know better…if you have a business case, publish it," she said.

Harry Adams, 11, addressed council leader Tim Warren (Cons, Mendip) and said he wasn't sure Mr Warren had listened to people's views, adding his own geography class concluded a park and ride would not help the city's traffic woes.

"I'm also concerned about wildlife and it will uproot their homes if you do this.

"You said to me last year you would listen. I don't think you have and I hope you don't pave Bathampton Meadows," he said.

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But Ian Bell, executive director of Bath Chamber of Commerce said although an eastern Bath park and ride wouldn't solve Bath's transport problems on its own, "it is one piece of the jigsaw."

"To be honest I don't much mind which site you choose, just that you go for one of them.

"By making that decision you will be putting an end to uncertainty and sending out a clear message to the world that Bath is very much open for business," he said.

Speaking on behalf of the Abbey Residents' Association, Ron Temperton criticised the opposition for "delaying action" and echoed this by discussing damaging levels of air pollition which "is damaging people's health now."

"We strongly support a park and ride to the east of the city," he told the chamber.

Speaking on behalf of the Friends of Bath residents' Association (FoBRA) which represents 4,500 residents, Patrick Rotherham said: "FobRA has constantly supported the creation of a park and ride to the east of Bath and we believe it's an essential component of the Bath transport Strategy."

He cited 15,000 cars head in and out of Bath via the east.

"That's far too many and that number is going up.

"We think that a park and ride to the east of the city can help reduce traffic and pollution in the city as part of an overall transport strategy."

Bath resident Van DuBose believes Bath has three transport issues which he calls "the Bath problems" being congestion and pollution, restricted pedestrian movement and car dependency with little score for alternative travel.

He said: "The transport project before you tonight is consistent with the policy framework and is one of several important initiatives that can work collectively over time to relieve the Bath problems."

During Mr Veal's speech as cabinet member, he told his colleagues a meadows park and ride would "do nothing for pollution and little for congestion."

"There are many good men and more good women here tonight and they passionately object to these plans.

"Your triumph tonight is the desecration of their homeland and the natural heritage of pleasant meadows."

He added: "Now you stand to condemn our valley to be mutilated forever...the meadows sites will do nothing for air pollution."

He described Bathampton Meadows as "my green valley" adding "you (cabinet) have a duty of care for my residents."

He concluded: "I cannot and will not support this motion" to much applause and cheering from residents in the public gallery."

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Speaking after the meeting, council leader Mr Warren told the Bath Chronicle : "We've got to try and buy the site first that will cost a bit more obviously but it's just to move us on, including planning and officer time.

"I think site B is the best place. We do need a park and ride on the east of Bath. At the moment we have three park and rides but the most congested part is the east of Bath. Site B is the least visible."

When asked if the cabinet had listened to the opposition's view he replied: "Absolutely. I mean it is difficult but there is a lot of support for it too.

"We take notice of people's views. It won't just be a concrete over the meadows but it will have mature trees which will bring the cost up a bit. I understand Batheaston and Bathamtpon residents' views fully but whatever we build we have to make sure it's the best it can be."

Councillor Anthony Clarke (Cons, Lansdown) B&NES' cabinet member for transport said: "Without intervention, including a park and ride, this will only get worse as the city continues to grow with more jobs and housing.

"The need for an eastern park and ride is therefore well-established and has the support of local business organisations, residents associations and transport lobby groups."

A planning application and a business case for site B will now be developed.

Every day more than 73,000 people travel into Bath by car - excluding those who are passing through the city - a figure which is predicted to rise to 96,000 people a day by 2029, according to the Department for Transport.

This is alongside growth of around 7,000 new homes and 11,000 new Bath jobs by 2035 which, with the new Bath Enterprise Zone, is expected to grow the local economy by £1.2billion in the next 13 years.

What happens next?

Members of the public will have the opportunity to continue to put forward their views as part of the formal planning process.

Mr Clarke said: "The next steps for the council will now be to progress discussions over the land and highway access, with further work on the design, screening and mitigations as part of preparations for a full planning application."

Site F is still an option

Site B may prove to be difficult as the council does not own the land.

Mr Clarke said we will know "in a reasonable space of time...in a matter of weeks rather than months" if the back-up site F will get the go ahead instead.